Professor of Practice, Management Communications
Ashley Nelson is an expert in social media, executive communication and strategy and content development.
TikTok’s unsolved algorithm fight
The latest TikTok deal framework leaves one critical question unanswered: who controls the algorithm?
Americans get six of seven board seats, Oracle stores the data and U.S. investors hold the majority stake. The White House says the U.S. will control the algorithm, but Beijing hasn’t agreed. For China, the algorithm is a strategic asset and IP they won’t give up easily. For Washington, it’s the key to data security and national security.
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Tulane University social media expert Ashley Nelson, a senior professor of practice in the A. B. Freeman School of Business, can cover how the deal reflects the broader U.S.–China struggle over technology, data privacy and global trade.
“The TikTok deal is less about one social media platform and more about how nations treat algorithms as strategic assets,” Nelson said. “For China, the algorithm is intellectual property and global leverage. For the U.S., it’s a matter of national security. How this plays out will set the tone for the next decade of digital trade and tech rivalry.”
For an interview with Ashley, contact Roger Dunaway at roger@tulane.edu or 504-452-2906.
Professor of Practice, Management Communications
Ashley Nelson is an expert in social media, executive communication and strategy and content development.